Category: Other
South Asian lifestyle leads to high early heart attack risk: study
WASHINGTON, Jan 16, 2007 (AFP) – People native to South Asia are at greater risk of heart attack at a younger age than other people because of factors that include lifestyle choices such as smoking, a study published in the US journal JAMA said Tuesday. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal account for about […]
Airbus beaten by Boeing in 2006, but promises fightback
PARIS, Jan 17, 2007 (AFP) – Airbus said on Wednesday it had lost first place to Boeing in the battle for orders in 2006, but said it would increase deliveries in 2007 and would launch a cargo version of its A330-200 plane. Airbus has led US-based Boeing for new orders since 2001, but the European […]
‘s freest economy
HONG KONG, Jan 16, 2007 (AFP) – Hong Kong has been ranked as the world’s freest economy ahead of rival Singapore in a report released on Tuesday by a right-wing American think-tank, The Heritage Foundation. The ranking by the Washington-based organisation puts the former British colony at the top of its Index of Economic Freedom, […]
‘s bakery in Mumbai fights inflation, globalisation
MUMBAI, Jan 14, 2007 (AFP) – Tirandaaz Irani’s morning shift at the Yazdani Bakery and Restaurant in Mumbai’s historic Fort district is pretty much the same every day, and he’s hoping to keep it that way even as the city changes drastically around him. The nearly century-old bakery, set amid crowded streets lined by massive […]
Swiss banks hold third highest amount of funds in world: report
GENEVA, Jan 13, 2007 (AFP) – Switzerland is the world’s third largest asset manager with over 6,900 billion Swiss francs (5,532 billion dollars, 4,280 billion euros) deposited in the country’s bank accounts, the Swiss Bankers Association said on Saturday Switzerland has a nine percent share of the global market, just below the United Kingdom with […]
Oil prices slide under 53 dollars
LONDON, Jan 11, 2007 (AFP) – World oil prices sank below 53 dollars per barrel on Thursday to mid-2005 low points on healthy US energy stockpiles and warm weather in the northern hemisphere. The latest sharp falls have sparked speculation that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries could soon hold an emergency production meeting. London’s […]
Irish banknotes massively tainted with cocaine
DUBLIN, Jan 11, 2007 (AFP) – Irish researchers found traces of cocaine on every single banknote contained in a random sample tested in a study of drug contamination of currency, Dublin City University (DCU) said on Thursday. Researchers voiced suprise at the 100 percent figure, which compares for example to a recent US study which […]
‘s National Stock Exchange
NEW DELHI, Jan 10, 2007 (AFP) – The New York Stock Exchange and investment bank Goldman Sachs are among investors who plan to buy an unspecified stake in India’s National Stock Exchange, a report said Wednesday.The Economic Times business daily said that two Indian financial firms, ILandFS and IFCI, plan to sell to overseas investors […]
Zimbabwe inflation hits new record high
HARARE, Jan 10, 2007 (AFP) – Inflation in Zimbabwe hit a new record high of 1,281 percent on Thursday, puncturing government hopes of reining in the galloping rate which has left households struggling to make ends meet. Figures released by the central statistics office (CSO) showed that the year-on-year inflation rate had risen by 182 […]
Milk destroys health benefits of tea, says study
PARIS, Jan 9, 2007 (AFP) – Bad news for Britons: adding milk to tea ruins the health benefits of the drink, according to a Germany study published on Tuesday.Tea has complex compounds called polyphenols which are believed to help the arteries to relax or dilate, thus enabling a smoother flow of blood.Scientists led at the […]
World Economic Forum joins web fantasy in bid for openness
GENEVA, Jan 9, 2007 (AFP) – The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos this month will enter the virtual reality of web-based Second Life in a bid to open up the elite meeting of political and business leaders, the organisers said Tuesday. After being televised, webcast and podcast […]
Behaviour Code
January 05, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s securities regulator will include a revised corporate governance code into the Colombo bourse’ listing requirements, making it mandatory for quoted companies to adopt the rules from April onwards. Drawn up by the Securities a& Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka […]